Massage therapy jobs are in demand. There are currently more massage therapy jobs than there are massage therapists to fill them. There are not enough graduates from massage school or already licensed to fill the many jobs. That means you have the advantage if you are looking for a job in massage and the ability to negotiate for pay and benefits in the job world. You can start saying NO to all the many jobs that suck! You can take your time and do your research and find or create your IDEAL job in massage therapy.
You ideal massage therapy job will:
- Pay you a decent wage and will be truthful about what you will be making. A decent wage will depend on your area and the cost of living, but in general, better jobs will pay in $20 and much more per hour.
- Your schedule will be filled each day so you can make optimum income. In most places if you don’t have a massage scheduled, you only make minimum wage for that hour and if you only do a 2 massages a day out of the 5 you are scheduled for, your wages will be averaged over the day so you only make minimum wage.
- You will be classified correctly as an employee and independent contractors. Many employers try to take advantage of massage therapists by classifying them incorrectly as an independent contractor when they should be an employee. Learn the difference and why it matters to your income/career.
- Pay for additional benefits of sick pay, vacation pay, retirement funding, required CE classes and liability insurance.
- Provide you with a way for advancement in income and benefits as you grow and work.
- Be a great all around place to work.
Since the beginning of my career in 1987, I have constantly heard massage therapists complaining about job conditions and asking for a union to support them, and still nothing has happened in that arena. Since so many massage therapists are self-employed, a union would not be the answer.
What we do need to be doing is to just say
NO to Bad Massage Therapy Jobs
But it isn’t always easy when you need a job. My ebook is here to help!
The Massage Therapy Job Guide –
How to find or create your IDEAL job
in massage therapy can help you
research and understand the field of massage and help you to do just that –
Say no to Bad Massage Therapy Jobs that Suck!
Theresa Nehemias says
Hi Julie,
I just stumbled on your site. And I just wanted to say thank you!
I have been in the field for 26 years now. We started around the same time it seems from what I read.
I went through a divorce almost two years ago, and now I am emerging from this part of my life and there are many changes happening so it is challenging.
Just wanted to say I appreciate your site and am going to put it on my favorites, to help me move forward, I hope!
Thank you,
Theresa
MJ says
Hi There,
Thanks for all of the information you posted on your website. You are such a wealth of knowledge! Thank you, Thank you! When you spoke about different jobs in the massage field, you referenced a starting or average wage for franchise work. Do you know anything about “splits” or how compensation works when partnering with a chiropractor?
Julie Onofrio says
You really have to watch split fee arrangements with other health care providers. It may be considered to be a kickback in your state. It is just a much cleaner relationship to rent space from a chiropractor or be an employee. You just really need to figure out what you want for a salary or compensation. Many employers will try to take advantage of massage therapists in this way.
Sarah Stetson says
I read all about hiring another company to be a contractor and it is totally legal in the state of Florida. I put it like this owner operators in trucking are contracted to work for accounts. They are told when to pick up a load and when it needs to be delivered. That is part of the contract. So you can put in your contract what the obligated hours are if they can’t accept those stipulations then the contractor has a choice whether to accept it or not.